Oh No not another helmet thread....

[murphy61]

Sorry to drag this up again but a few moments ago I was listening to the PM programme on radio 4, and the presenter, Carolyn Quinn, was interviewing someone about Natasha Richardson's skiing accident. She was suggesting that helmets might be made compulsory for skiing, making the point that nowadays cyclists are deemed to be more responsible if they wear helmets. As a non helmet wearer, I was a bit taken aback by that! Is that really the case? Am I an irresponsible cyclist?

 

[Tiberius]

Hi Murphy,

Actually cycle helmets were discussed on Radio 4 Today's programme on Monday. I was surprised it didn't result in a thread on here, but decided to keep my head down. The BBC News website had a reasonable article about skiing. I'll see if I can find it.

Nick

Edit: here's the article on skiing riskBBC NEWS | Health | Just how dangerous is skiing?
Not a bad analysis.

Edit 2: Here's the Today interview. BBC - Today
The interviewer trots out the usual nonsense, but John Franklin resists the traps.

 

[murphy61]

Thanks for that Nick. For me, there's no question about helmets, I just don't wear one but I do think it's a bit unfair to be considered irresponsible for that reason. Is this really the public perception now?

 

[Tiberius]

Thanks for that Nick. For me, there's no question about helmets, I just don't wear one but I do think it's a bit unfair to be considered irresponsible for that reason. Is this really the public perception now?

Actually the public perception is likely to be the most important factor, but unfortunately it won't necessarily be based on rational analysis. We won't find out the public perception by arguing about the subject on this forum.

One of the problems is that people driving public views and legislation are usually not cyclists but think they know about it. If the Today interviewer had asked me some of the questions he put to John Franklin I'd have asked him if he wore a helmet round the house at home. What, not even when going up and down the stairs? Far more people are injured in the home than on bicycles.

Nick

 

[murphy61]

Actually the public perception is likely to be the most important factor, but unfortunately it won't necessarily be based on rational analysis. We won't find out the public perception by arguing about the subject on this forum

I totally agree with that, which is why I didn't contribute to any of the previous threads on helmet wearing. And I think you're right about public perception not being based on rational analysis. I just wish I could alter it!

 

[stranger]

Thanks for that Nick. For me, there's no question about helmets, I just don't wear one but I do think it's a bit unfair to be considered irresponsible for that reason. Is this really the public perception now?

It seems rather, to be a LEGAL perception. I don't know that 'the public' give it much thought, one way or the other.

 

[carpetbagger]

It was very tragic what happened but i don't think a helmet would have helped. She was neither going fast nor in collision with anything that caused even an abrasion. The nursery slopes she was on wouldn't have had the solid ice that you get in certain areas whilst skiing. To me she pobably had a weak area in her head/brain that would have ruptured in any sudden jerk of her head...ie motor accident or even something like being hit with a football.
If it hadn't been the skiing fall it would probably have been something else that triggered it.....This isn't a good case for making helmets compulsory for skiing/cycling....even though i wear one for cycling..but not skiing.

20 years ago somebody let a 1.5lb chisel slip from his hand whilst working 12ft above me on a ladder...It hit my head,it bloody hurt,there was lots of blood and i had 1 stitch and by head was numb for a few days....probably far worse than what happened to Natasha but luckily i am still here.

I send my condolences to all her family and friends.

 

[Caph]

As a non helmet wearer, I was a bit taken aback by that! Is that really the case? Am I an irresponsible cyclist?

Irresponsible to who? Certainly not to others. It can only be yourself. At the end of the day, it's your noggin, you protect it as you see fit.

I guess the only argument for you being irresponsible would be if you sustained a head trauma and were hospitalised at a great cost for a long period of time. I certainly haven't heard of this happening to any cyclists.

Possibly also if you have dependents, then not protecting your head could be seen as irresponsible to them, but I would say that is all but clutching at straws.

 

[Alex728]

From the official press office of a Police force in SE England

Police seek careless cyclist- West Wycombe

Thursday 19 March 2009, 11:05am
Police are attempting to trace a cyclist who failed to stop at a school crossing patrol in West Wycombe on Friday (13/3).
A patrol assistant was helping a child across Chorley Road on Friday morning when a cyclist did not stop and rode around the child and patroller and continued in the direction of High Wycombe.

The cyclist is a white man, in his thirties and has a goatee beard. He was wearing close-fitting black cycling trousers, a yellow top and a cycling helmet and was riding a racing bike.

PC Ian Leyland, investigating, said: “I’m investigating an incident of careless cycling, although fortunately no collision occurred and no-one was hurt. School crossing patrols are in place to help parents and children cross the road safely. Stop means stop. I would ask the cyclist to do the honourable thing and come forward; if not I’m sure one of his neighbours or someone else he knows may do it first.”
If you have any information, contact PC Leyland via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505 or if you don’t want to talk to police or leave your name, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111

 

[watkin5]

Irresponsible to who? Certainly not to others. It can only be yourself....

Here's a confession, and the reason why I wear a lid (and a very bright green jacket.)

A long while back I knocked a women off her bike. A "look no see" accident. I been through one of the police recommended training courses, and I am very much a different driver now.

The thing is, you don't know when an idiot like I was is going to change your life. I was lucky and she could actually be compensated by the insurance money.

I'm so glad she wasn't "irresponsible" and that I hit a lady with a lid on.

 

[rooel]

Here are two quotes from BBC news online:

Their chat rooms are full of the debate, though most skiers and snowboarders do not want to be made to wear a helmet - most people do not feel it will be made compulsory.

This is a view supported by the British Association of Snowsports Instructors, BASI.

"Despite the debate going on it's highly unlikely that it will be made compulsory for everyone to wear a helmet as serious head injuries are relatively rare and the medical evidence is not conclusive," says Julian Griffiths, a spokesman for BASI.

"At the moment many Alpine nations encourage helmet use, but do not want to pass laws to make it mandatory​

....the instances of severe head injuries are very rare and some people argue that wearing a helmet makes people feel invincible so they ski with less care and consideration​

 

[stranger]

Here's a confession, and the reason why I wear a lid (and a very bright green jacket.)

A long while back I knocked a women off her bike. A "look no see" accident. I been through one of the police recommended training courses, and I am very much a different driver now.

The thing is, you don't know when an idiot like I was is going to change your life. I was lucky and she could actually be compensated by the insurance money.

I'm so glad she wasn't "irresponsible" and that I hit a lady with a lid on.

You know what? This is the first and only post/article/debate that has made me begin to re-consider my 'no helmet for me' stance.

 

[murphy61]

You know what? This is the first and only post/article/debate that has made me begin to re-consider my 'no helmet for me' stance.

..........Me too!